First Time For Everything

Madoka followed the flow of students through the main gate of the school where she found a place for her bike, then went into the building itself.

Outdoor shoes off. Indoor shoes on.

So far so good, she had not accidentally bumped into someone yet despite the immense amount of people walking around. Next step was finding her class...

"I'm in 2!"

"We're in different classes!"

"Oh, I'm with Yukimura-san this year!"

Voices crowded around her as Madoka could only squeak out a tiny 'excuse me, pardon me' before she could reach the notice board where she scanned for the word 'Ishikawa'

And there she found it.

Ishikawa Madoka - 1年2組

She was in class 2. Feeling lucky that she did not need to be pressed up against so many people for any longer, Madoka escaped from the sea of students in search for her own class.

It turned out that she did not need to go looking for long as the moment she turned the corner, Madoka had found herself looking at a classroom that said: 1-2.

Oh gosh, she had found it already? But Madoka was not ready yet!

"No no, calm yourself Madoka, this isn't your first time doing this...no one is going to look at you weird!"

'But what if they do?' That annoying voice in her head reared its ugly head again. But Madoka shook it off.

"They won't! Watch me!"

And with bravery, she took a strong stride into the open classroom.

And nothing happened.

No one pointed at her, no one even took more than a half second long glance at her, everyone was too busy talking to new people, catching up with their friends or being alone (like her) to take notice of Madoka.

She couldn't help but feel a bit proud for proving her inner voice wrong.

And immediately got crushed by the reality that she knew absolutely no one here.

Considering the seating arrangement seemed to be a free-for-all right now, Madoka took the one by the window overseeing the track field and the sports building a bit further out in the distance before placing her backpack down and just sitting there.

She had no idea what she was supposed to do.

At all.

Usually, she transferred in at the middle of a school year so her new classmates came to HER instead - and adopted Madoka into their little circle. But because this was a brand-new school year, people were busy with their own little social circles.

Great, amazing.

But nothing Madoka could not cope with. If luck would have it, someone bright and cheerful and willing to open up to her would just appear right next to her and...

"Hello!! Is the seat next to you taken?"

Madoka turned her head and came face to face with someone whose smile could only be described as akin to sunrays. She had a short messy orange bob that looked like if the sun itself had a bedhead, but in a cute sort of way.

"N-no, I mean, I don't think so...but I think you should ask around to be sure?" Madoka stumbled her words and cringed at that.

The girl just looked at her for a brief second, and let out a bright smile again.

"Well, no one has their backpack here so I hope they won't mind me taking their seat!" The girl plopped down unceremoniously. "Usually, I sit where you are sitting right now!"

Madoka stood up so fast the desk rattled.

"I-I'm sorry, I will move, I didn't know I swear!"

The cheery girl looked surprised before breaking out in laughter and giving her multiple strong pats on the back.

"It's fine! Don't beat yourself over it, it's fun to try new things! Oh by the way, I don't think I've seen you around before. Your hair buns look really cute! I definitely would have remembered seeing you around. I almost forgot, my name is Natsu, Natsu Akikawa!"

Natsu spoke really really fast...

"Oh, that's because...I just moved here with my family, like...three months ago. We've only just gotten settled in. My name is Madoka Ishikawa, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

But then a gear in her mind clicked.

"Wait, your family name is Akikawa? I remembered seeing a butcher's shop on my way to school..."

And Natsu's already sunny expression seemed to somehow glow even more.

"The very same! We sell the best croquettes in town!"

But before Madoka could reply to that, a group of three girls walked over and began talking to Natsu - they seemed to be friends? And Madoka just sank back down to her seat again, scrolling her phone until Madoka felt a slight tap on her shoulders.

"Hello, earth to Ishikawa-san?"

It was Natsu. Madoka hurriedly put down her phone.

"Sorry, you were saying...? I was busy...ummm...thinking."

"Yeah! So Sena, Tora and Mira..." Madoka suddenly imagined those three girls are some sort of trios with names like that "...were asking about you! They were really curious about where you came from!"

"O-Oh...umm..." Madoka fidgeted in her seat "My family moved around...a lot, but if I have to pick, probably Tokyo?"

Sena, at least the person Madoka presumed was Sena, let out a long 'ehhh' before replying

"Is it fun up in Tokyo? I heard everyone there is pretty fashionable and cool right?"

"No no, not really...they look just about the same as anywhere else, I think."

It seemed to not be the answer they were looking for as the conversation dulled into a silence soon after until Natsu broke the ice again.

"So! Do you guys have any clubs that you want to go into this year?"

Tora, with the cute plush tiger pouch on her cardigan, nodded eagerly

"Yep! The light music club for me!"

Sena added in "I think I'll still be in the basketball team. Mira will be in the 'go home after school club' right?"

Mira nodded, though Madoka couldn't read her expression after her heavy blunt bangs and face mask.

"Natsu-chan will probably be with the volleyball team right?"

Natsu laughed "I don't know, probably?"

Madoka couldn't help her curiosity.

"Akikawa-san plays volleyball?"

"Yep! Natsu-chan is really good at it!" Sena wrapped an arm around Natsu like she was introducing someone really famous "She played for Hanamura Middle School and got the team to Regionals!"

Oh, that was...really impressive. Madoka couldn't hide her awe, but Natsu waved it off.

"It's nothing, promise! Ishikawa-san, are there any sports that you are into?"

Yes.

Football.

Immensely.

Madoka could spend the next 20 minutes talking about football, about how 4-2-3-1 was universally used by youth teams, how 4-3-3 can transition into a variety of shapes, or just how difficult it is just to kick a ball right.

But she didn't

"I-I sorta like football, I guess? Like it's a hobby, you know?"

"Mm, I heard that the school has a football club right?"

Tora tilted her head "We do? Never heard about them."

Natsu seemed more sure that there was though as she said 'there is one'. But that didn't inspire much confidence in Madoka. A pit formed in her stomach. What if the football club didn't exist? What if it had already been disbanded?

The conversation faded into the background as a pit of anxiety settled in Madoka's stomach and she debated if she should run out of here and into the clubrooms to find any signs of the football club.

But then their homeroom teacher, Mirei Nozomi, entered the classroom, they talked about rules and conduct in the school.

The class went down into the auditorium together. Madoka heard absolutely nothing from the principal's speech other than the brief observation that the principal was wearing a toupee. Then another speech from the student council president with long black hair and beautiful red eyes.

And when Madoka came back to reality, it was around 12:30 at noon when everyone was released for the day.

"I'll see you around, Ishikawa-san!" said Natsu.

"Yeah, see you!" Sena waved goodbye along with Tora and Mira, off to do their own things.

And Madoka just stood there, confused for a moment.

'You just zoned out the whole 4 hours?'

Madoka groaned to herself.

She looked at her backpack and everything seemed to be in place - Books. Check. Orientation pamphlets. Check. Club pamphlets. Check. Football club....

But then it dawned on her.

"Oh my gosh, I have to look for the club, NOW!"

Madoka hurriedly shoved everything into her backpack, slung it over her shoulders and rushed out of the classroom into the sea of students leaving school that day. However, she forgot one crucial detail...

She had NO IDEA where the clubroom actually is.